UPDATE: KDKA-TV producers officially unionize with SAG-AFTRA
UPDATE — 4:10 p.m., Mon., Nov. 23: Nearly a month after they first moved to unionize, a group of KDKA-TV producers has joined forces with SAG-AFTRA, a national labor group that represents around 160,000 media and entertainment professionals. On Fri., Nov. 20, it was announced that producers at KDKA-TV, the oldest news station in Pittsburgh, “officially unionized…
10 anticipated November book releases
White Ivy by Susie Yang Out Nov. 3 via Simon & Schuster Literary Fiction, 368 pages Looking at Ivy Lin, you wouldn’t guess that she’s a thief and a liar. But that’s how she’s maintained her suburban teen lifestyle outside of Boston and worked to attract the golden boy of a wealthy political family. But…
Pittsburgh’s Jessica Benham makes history as first LGBTQ woman, openly autistic candidate elected to PA state legislature
Last week, the first out LGBTQ woman was elected to the Pennsylvania state legislature as Jessica Benham (D-South Side) won state House District 36. She is also now one of only a few openly autistic elected officials in America, and likely the first in Pennsylvania history. “I have received hundreds of messages from LGBTQ people…
Black November Spotlight: Dejah Monea
BLKNVMBR (Black November) is a month-long promotion of audio and visual works of Black R&B musicians and artists. While the name suggests a November-only operation, BLKNVMBR hopes to be a year-round asset of skill sharing, resource pooling, career development, performance opportunities, and moral support for artists. Past Pioneer Records Star Dejah Monea is the second…
Locally made film Definition, Please to play at the digital Film Pittsburgh Fall Festival
For Greensburg-raised Sujata Day, her latest film Definition, Please was a passion project. She filmed it here in the Pittsburgh area and included an almost-exclusively Asian American cast to authentically showcase her upbringing. The film is about a Scripps Spelling Bee champion whose adult life didn’t pan out the way people might have expected, and…
A white Pa. former candidate tweeted he was Black and gay, and then Patti LaBelle’s relative somehow got involved
Republican congressional candidate Dean Browning lost his primary in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District in the Lehigh Valley earlier this year, but today, he is likely more well-known than ever. On Nov. 8, Browning tweeted “what Trump built in 4 years, Biden will destroy in 4 months.” An innocuous enough tweet that was spread among the…
CMU says it’s OK for staff to engage in political activity after fellow Richard Grenell alleges widespread voter fraud without evidence
As votes are still being counted a week after the 2020 presidential election, the campaign of incumbent President Donald Trump continues to claim, without evidence, that many mail-in and absentee ballots are fraudulent. Parroting these dubious claims is Richard Grenell, formerly a Trump-appointed U.S. Ambassador to Germany and Acting Director of National Intelligence, who is…
After several days of poor air quality, GASP calls on stronger regulations in Allegheny County
In between election panic and pandemic panic, Pittsburghers may have noticed that the past few days have provided poor air quality. Some have found it harder to breathe or may experience an unpleasant smell. The air quality issue is likely due to an inversion, a weather event that occurs when warm air traps cooler air…
Black November Spotlight: Saige
BLKNVMBR (Black November) is a month-long promotion of audio and visual works of Black R&B musicians and artists. While the name suggests a November-only operation, BLKNVMBR hopes to be a year-round asset of skill sharing, resource pooling, career development, performance opportunities, and moral support for artists. To kick off Black November, singer Saige released her…
Gear up for Yinz Citizen with this Pittsburgh playlist
Only a few more days remain until virtual benefit concert, Yinz Citizen. To get psyched for the plethora of Pittsburgh talent set to perform, Pittsburgh City Paper compiled a playlist with music from the diverse acts, ranging from hip-hop artist Jordan Montgomery to blues group The Commonheart, to the musicians from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.…
Black-owned gallery Downtown vandalized on its one month anniversary
Exactly one month ago, Black-owned art gallery BLAQK House Collections opened Downtown on First Avenue. On Monday, they marked their one-month anniversary by sweeping up broken class after vandals shattered the window and door of their building. Nicky Jo Dawson, co-owner of the gallery along with Cynthia Kenderson, believes the attack was racially motivated, as…
Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership calls for snowy scenes and other seasonal images for Winter Snapshot public installation
While it may not feel like it yet, winter is right around the corner, and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership wants to celebrate with a seasonal photo contest. The PDP launched Winter Snapshot, an event inviting people to share their photos and videos of winter scenes throughout Pittsburgh. Winter Snapshot was commissioned and will be run…
Clara Kent and INEZ look to inspire by highlighting Pittsburgh’s Black R&B scene
It’s easy to disregard cliche motivational quotes with an eyeroll. “Hang in there, baby” and “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” and “Teamwork makes the dreamwork” aren’t exactly, well, original. But Pittsburgh musicians Clara Kent and INEZ, whose real name is Danielle Walker, feel those sentiments are needed to help uplift the…
PHOTOS: Allegheny County helps clinch end to Trump presidency; Pittsburghers take to the streets to celebrate Biden-Harris win
Pennsylvania, and specifically Allegheny County, has been at the center of the universe this past week. And on Saturday, hundreds gathered in the South Side of Pittsburgh to celebrate President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ projected win. Two groups had planned demonstrations in the South Side on Saturday, both beginning around 1 p.m.…
Rep. Conor Lamb wins re-election, the Associated Press declares
The Associated Press today called the race between U.S. Rep Conor Lamb (D-Mt. Lebanon) and challenger Sean Parnell (R-Ohio Township). Lamb has been re-elected to Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District. “Thank you to the people of #PA17 for putting your trust in me to continue serving you in Congress,” tweeted Lamb after the AP declared him…
Losing Pittsburgh candidate holds baseless “Stop the Steal” protest; fight with counter-protesters ensues
Today, after presidential candidate Joe Biden overtook President Donald Trump in the Pennsylvania vote count, some far-right personalities and candidates made baseless and false claims that mail-in votes being counted are illegal. And one of those right wingers in Pittsburgh is state Rep. candidate Danny DeVito (R-Carnegie). DeVito, who currently is trailing in his election…
Back to the Foodture announces expansion, Pittsburgh Honey opens Squirrel Hill Market, and more Pittsburgh food news
Openings Squirrel Hill Market Pittsburgh Honey, forced to close its Squirrel Hill retail space in mid-March due to the pandemic, has now not just re-opened the doors on its original store, but also opened a new venture, the Squirrel Hill Market. Unlike its first store, the new market will offer an assortment of specialty foods…
Ballot measure expanding powers of Pittsburgh’s Citizen Police Review Board passes
While the votes are still being counted in Pennsylvania, not everything is as close a call as the presidential election. In the city of Pittsburgh, voters overwhelmingly passed a referendum to expand the powers of the Citizen Police Review Board. The ballot question, which passed with 78% of the votes, asked whether or not to…
North Side ‘Count Every Vote’ rally unites community before marching to Allegheny Elections warehouse
Thursday night’s rally to help push the message that the state of Pennsylvania, and the country, must count every vote for a fair and honest election, was an incredible show of unity and community. Typically, I like to go a little more lighthearted with my weekly photo essay, but the world is awaiting our state’s…
As COVID cases rise, health officials prep for vaccine rollout
On Thursday, state health officials confirmed that new cases of COVID-19 reached a new daily high with 2,900 positive cases and 47 new deaths, bringing the statewide total to 220,566 cases in all 67 counties. As cases rise across the commonwealth, state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said state officials have no plan to return…
Woman who taunted ‘Count Every Vote’ protest was alleged Pittsburgh poll worker booted from precinct
Yesterday, a group of about 100 protesters took to the streets in Downtown Pittsburgh calling for every vote to be counted. The Pennsylvania election is very close, and there are still hundreds of thousands of ballots to count. Most of them have been skewing towards Joe Biden, and it appears that when all are counted,…
Heinz Endowments commits $12.1 million in grant funding to make Pittsburgh more equitable for Black residents
The Heinz Endowments is focusing on improving the quality of life for Pittsburgh’s Black community with $12.1 million in grants, a major portion of which will go to local Black-led nonprofit organizations. The philanthropic organization made the announcement today, specifying in a press release that $9.2 million is already earmarked to “target systemic issues and…
How is This My Life? Confessions of a Sane Single Woman author wants you to laugh at her dating life
Over the past nine years, Jerraya Mason has experienced her fair share of bad dates, adventurous sex, and dysfunctional neighbors. So the Ambridge resident decided to detail it in her self-published book, How is This My Life? Confessions of a Sane Single Woman, a humorous, semi-autobiographical account of trying to find love and stability as…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/5/20
Video Archive We are still waiting for final results, but it looks like Joe Biden will win the presidency. Lynn is sharing her feelings, talking about the international coverage of the election, voter turnout, and reasons why polls can’t be trusted. Audio Only Archive Stream or download the last 5 shows on the MP3 downloads…
Over 100 protest in Pittsburgh, calling on Pennsylvania to “Count Every Vote”
On Wed., Nov. 4, more than 100 protesters gathered at the City-County Building in Downtown Pittsburgh, joining demonstrations across the country to “count every vote” in wake of the highly contested 2020 presidential election and President Donald Trump’s unfounded accusations of an illegitimate and fraudulent election. Multiple Pittsburgh political action committees organized several demonstrations throughout…
Lynn Cullen Live – 10/4/20
Video Archive We are still waiting to hear the final outcome of the election. Votes are being counted in many states including Pennsylvania. Lynn is discussing what we know so far. Joe Biden has already won more votes than any president of the United States, but that doesn’t matter. It looks like the Democrats will…
The Handmaid’s Tale’s Margaret Atwood helps raise money for Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures with online Pittsburgh appearance
When asked if she finds books to be a respite from the world’s darker impulses, Margaret Atwood agrees that’s possible. But she notes that books are not always a salve for the ailments that plague us. “There is no guarantee just because something is written down that it’s good for you,” Atwood says. “Mein Kampf…
Pittsburgh stylist Chi Ilochi uses her company to heal, help, and inspire through clothing
As a child, Chi Ilochi was turned off by the bold prints and fabrics of her Nigerian mother’s clothing. But as Ilochi got older, those same colors and patterns started to catch her eye. “I would build off of [that traditional Nigerian attire] in my own style,” says Ilochi, a Pittsburgh native and founder of…
Portrait People’s first full-length album ruminates on its progress as a band
Last month, Pittsburgh band Portrait People released its first full-length album, Hallow, carrying the same title the pop-emo band gave to its very first EP, released three years ago when the lead singer was still in high school. What started as an EP in 2017 flourished into a new, stronger album. As artists grow, their…
Takeout review: Turk’d Up at The Yard
The Gobblerito from Mad Mex may be the most famous Thanksgiving-themed food in Pittsburgh. Still, plenty of other restaurants offer their own takes on the classic, calorie-loaded seasonal meal. After a slightly-disappointing encounter with the Gobblerito last Thanksgiving, I decided to try another iteration this year: The Yard’s Turk’d Up, a Texas toast, cheddar layered…
Why Pittsburgh is redesigning streets to help drivers slow down
Soraya Bey lives in Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood on Maytide Street. According to her social media page and an “Expedite Traffic Calming on Maytide Street” online petition she started, she has had two cars crashed into and totaled since June, even though those cars were parked off the street. Three road deaths have occurred on Maytide…
Black-led community spotlight: Gwen’s Girls empowers Pittsburgh girls and young women
A Friday program at Gwen’s Girls is a flurry of activity. A small group of young women and teen girls, all gathered in the West Commons building on the North Side, enjoy pizza as they sketch designs for T-shirts that will soon be sold to help fund the Pittsburgh nonprofit dedicated to empower them. One…
Seven days of arts and entertainment: Nov. 5-11
Thu., Nov. 5 LIT Love is complicated, especially when it involves sports. White Whale Bookstore will host a virtual reading with authors Jessica Luther and Kavitha A. Davidson about their new book, Loving Sports When They Don’t Love You Back. The book tackles what it means to love sports in the face of all their…
Seven Days of Music: Nov. 5-11
Thu., Nov. 5 (IRL) Casey Deely. 5:30 p.m. Mansions on Fifth, 5105 Fifth Ave., Shadyside. Free. facebook.com/MansionsOnFifth Pretend it’s not 2020 by taking a trip to Mansion on Fifth’s Oak Room Pub, which recalls dining clubs from the early 1990s. Sip on Prohibition-era classics while enjoying renditions of classic and contemporary jazz and blues from…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY: Nov. 5-11
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “At every crossroad, be prepared to bump into wonder,” wrote Scorpio poet James Broughton. I believe that’s stirring advice for you to keep in mind during the coming weeks. Broughton’s words inspired me to come up with a corollary for you to heed, as well: “At every turning point, be ready…
